posted at 9:39 pm on September 19, 2012 by Allahpundit

I’d like to think they took my advice and made a totally empty promise knowing that there’s not much he can do to punish them if they break it. But I don’t. I assume this is on the level, and further assume that it’s a business decision driven not so much by their desire to open a new franchise in Chicago as their desire to forfeit their status as a national political lightning rod.

Still depressing to see them cave, though, and I say that as someone who supports gay marriage. Letting this cretin bully them into withholding money from their favorite political causes as a condition of doing business sets a terrible precedent. But oh well. Note to red-staters: Feel free to start making zoning permits contingent on local liberal business-owners taking a solemn vow not to give money to the left anymore.

As a result of the negotiations, Mr. Moreno received a letter signed by John E. Featherston Jr., a senior director of real estate for Chick-fil-A, stating, “The WinShape Foundations is now taking a much closer look at the organizations it considers helping, and in that process will remain true to its stated philosophy of not supporting organizations with political agendas.”

Mr. Moreno said in an interview Wednesday that he believes the company will stop “using money to fund groups that have antigay causes. They have committed in writing they will not do that.”

He said company executives showed him records of its charitable giving for the year that does not include groups such as Focus on the Family, Exodus International or other groups that oppose marriage equality or have fought against the expansion of gay rights…

Chick-fil-A, which has more than $4 billion in annual sales, issued a statement on Wednesday that echoed one it produced in July, saying that “going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”

Between 2008 and 2010, Chick-fil-A’s foundation gave more than $3 million to groups opposed to same-sex marriage. Denying someone a permit due to his opinions is blatant viewpoint discrimination and violates the First Amendment, but as I said, I think Chick-fil-A simply wants off this political merry-go-round. If they sued, they’d probably win, but it might take years to resolve and in the meantime they’d be on the hot seat every time a new skirmish over SSM broke out. I think they just want to be done with this. If the Cathy family wants to continue to donate to social conservative groups, they’ll find another outlet than the WinShape Foundation.

As promised, Gold’s Gym this week will become Fitness SF as its contract with the Gold’s brand has just run out. Some of you may recall that in 2010, Gold’s Gym members (the vast majority of whom, in SF at least, are homosexual) were shocked to learn that the CEO of the gym’s parent company had made donations to the conservative group American Crossroads, which was founded by Karl Rove. At the time, the local franchisee, which runs the two San Francisco Gold’s Gyms as well as the branches in Oakland and San Rafael, pledged to cut ties with the brand as soon as its current contract expired,

“The WinShape Foundations is now taking a much closer look at the organizations it considers helping, and in that process will remain true to its stated philosophy of not supporting organizations with political agendas.”

Based on this I’m breaking out the checkbook and making out checks to; Focus on the Family, Exodus International or other groups that oppose marriage equality or have fought against the expansion of gay rights. All in the name of the azzhole Chicago Thug Monreno…

So, according to Allahpundit, getting “off this political merry-go-round” is succumbing to the intimidation and bullying by the left -homosexual activist axis and alienating the millions who actively supported them for taking a stand against the state PC thought police.

It is my hope as well that this might just be this one store or some other technicality. With all the support that they had received for vocalizing a personal belief, one would think that they would not cave under any undo pressure.

So they are going to be open on Sundays now? Because once you decide that you are getting too much heat for supporting what you say you believe because of your religion you have opened the door to having to compromise all of it in the name of not wanting to be in the spotlight- and you will be as the same groups that went after you before will again when they find something they don’t like (and again, they will) in your other endeavors.

How much more positive reinforcement can you have? Greed? Fine, you made a lot more money. “Am I doing the right thing?” A few ten-millions of your closest friends think so. These guys, Komen — what the hell is being whispered into their ears when no one is looking that makes them flip?

Amazing, isn’t it? The mayor of Chicago…a Jew….a militant Israeli Jew too….is willing to condemn Christian values? Once..not that long ago….there was another man who decided that Jewish values were unacceptable?

So unacceptable that they were loaded on boxcars and sent to eternity…they say 6,000,000 of them.

Is Rahm…an idiot? Does he not see what he’s done? He accepts sodomites, disparages Christians…for what?

Look, CFA is still a business and if they decided to cave, they’ve done the cost-benefit analysis and, last I checked, they’re into serving chicken not politics. Wish they wouldn’t cave and wish they’d stand ground, actually in the long run perhaps better for their business model, but it is not our job to second-guess their metrics. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time the major owners of a business cave, publicly, to PC concerns while they use their own considerable fortunes to fund he causes they believe in.

Lenin was right; A capitalist will sell you the rope you hang him with. There is no higher priority or value than profit……None!
If we ever get stupid enough to depend on a business to stand up in defense of our freedoms, we deserve to lose them.

As a result of the negotiations, Mr. Moreno received a letter signed by John E. Featherston Jr., a senior director of real estate for Chick-fil-A, stating, “The WinShape Foundations is now taking a much closer look at the organizations it considers helping, and in that process will remain true to its stated philosophy of not supporting organizations with political agendas.”

And in return, the alderman will in turn take a pledge to support all constituents and not work on the basis of a political slant or agenda.
Dand Chicago, all CFA will get is a shattered window from the war being waged in a gun controlled city.

As a result of the negotiations, Mr. Moreno received a letter signed by John E. Featherston Jr., a senior director of real estate for Chick-fil-A, stating, “The WinShape Foundations is now taking a much closer look at the organizations it considers helping, and in that process will remain true to its stated philosophy of not supporting organizations with political agendas.”

This doesn’t mean anything.

the company will stop “using money to fund groups that have antigay causes. They have committed in writing they will not do that.”

I like Chic-Fil-A and will continue to eat there. I don’t care who they do or don’t donate to, my accelerated support for them was to push back against government interference. I am sure they will find ways to donate to institutions that support their values.

we’ve gotten a strong taste of the Leftist vision for us…essentially everyone agrees with their superior thoughts and feelings. And, best of all, magical thinking instead of math

goody.

Reason Mag had a interview with Randy Barnett, the lawyer arguing against ACA (who is happy at least that the commerce clause can’t be used to control the country)

the last graf in the article

Barnett: It is compatible with them, and it is actually what has kept us a freer society. Here’s a way of thinking about it: The Founders built a Constitution that was so well-engineered—and [they] built in so many redundant checks on power—that even if you get rid of this one, and this one, and this one, just the ones that are left are enough to keep us relatively free. It’s as though you’re on a four-engine jet. You’ve lost three engines. The last remaining engine is still keeping you aloft, because the jet was well designed. It was designed to fly on one engine, although that’s not optimal. And that’s where we are now. We’re flying on one engine. What’s left of the Constitution is still good enough to keep us aloft. But it would sure be a lot better if we could get the other engines fired up.

and the left is furiously trying to shut down speech with extra-legal means…by all means necessary

Why not just add a check list to the application for a business license to operate in Illinois and list anything the state political bosses don’t like and, essentially, you check a box, you don’t get a license. Why not bring it out in the open and call it what it is, a liberal litmus test to open a business in Illinois.

This is becoming curiouser and curiouser, Alice.

And I hate to say it, but a crime like this requires a victim (the suppression of free speech, I mean) and Chick-Fil-A has just provided another victim, no matter how reluctant or couched in legal-speak, for the forces of intolerance.

These guys are just trying to sell some chicken sandwiches. Cut ’em some slack.

The ones I’m boycotting are the gay marriage activists. I used to be relatively cool with it, live and let live and all that. But after the way they treated this man for just stating his personal opinion.. I no longer give a crap. It’s obvious that it was NEVER really about having the “right” to marry as one pleases. It was always about FORCING other people to share their particular opinion about homosexuality. It’s not saying “don’t get in my way”. It’s saying “agree with me or else”. So, whatever. I’ve got no sympathy for that.

So they think this one franchise is more important than all the people willing to stand in long lines in the hot sun to support them. I hope all those people who supported them will see just how unimportant their efforts were and find somewhere else to eat.

Chick-fil-A has not caved on anything. There has been nothing said about who or what organizations Win-Shape will donate to in the future. There has not been any letter stating other wise. Believe me I KNOW. All that has been stated is to Serve everyone with honor dignity and respect. Chick-fil-A is not in the political or social business.

All this is, is the Chicago thugs and others trying to spend the “Who We Are” paper (which is an internal document ) to save face and meet their narrative.

No one will know who Chick-fil-A (Win-Shape) will donate to this year until the 2012 report comes out until next year in the fourth quarter.

So those who support Chick-fil-A please do not jump the gun and get upset. All is well and there is nothing to be upset with.

I agree with you a fair bit of the time, but here, I disagree. NO. he shouldn’t have an out.

When he decided to donate to traditional values-defending organizations like FotF and others, he knew full well how the homofascists are. Now that it becomes inconvenient, he backs off.

In a battle of good and evil, any compromise with evil is equal to surrender. As if the evil of the homofascist cause weren’t enough, this P.O.S. Moreno’s communism is just icing on the cake. And Chick fil A capitulated.

All the people saying that chick fil a will find some other way to donate are kidding themselves. If they bowed to this, they will bow to future allegations of being ‘liars’ who are ‘hypocrites’ etc etc .

As for it not being a big deal, we are kidding ourselves there, too. What does this teach people? That if the left smears you and bullies you, you should run away, instead of giving the bast*urds
the ess-whuppin they deserve. And don’t forget, the left works incrementally. First, get everyone used to signing a ‘pledge’ that is not legally binding if you want to do business. Then make it law. That’s how the left works. And it’s being aided and abetted by people who believe it’s ok to put profit over principle, and by people who give them an out by coddling them.

I see approval of this kind of compromise by many on the right. But when Boner does it in the Congress, they howl. WTF? They are rooted in the same weakness that pervades our once great land.

Maybe but I don’t think so. It simply says “political agenda.” This isn’t a political agenda but a moral issue, Dan Cathy always made that clear. They may be saying they aren’t getting into the legal debate. I think the alderman is an idiot, and can’t read.

hope all those people who supported them will see just how unimportant their efforts were and find somewhere else to eat.

Rose on September 19, 2012 at 10:38 PM

Don’t jump to a conclusions on this. The memo doesn’t say they won’t support family moral values. It says political agendas. It sounds to me like they simply don’t want to get into the legal issue. Dan Cathy never did, he always said it was a moral issue and he supported religious and family values organizations. I have a feeling the alderman and others are reading more into this then they should.

Still depressing to see them cave, though, and I say that as someone who supports gay marriage. Letting this cretin bully them into withholding money from their favorite political causes as a condition of doing business sets a terrible precedent.

Chick-fil-A has not caved on anything. There has been nothing said about who or what organizations Win-Shape will donate to in the future. There has not been any letter stating other wise. Believe me I KNOW. All that has been stated is to Serve everyone with honor dignity and respect. Chick-fil-A is not in the political or social business.

All this is, is the Chicago thugs and others trying to spend the “Who We Are” paper (which is an internal document ) to save face and meet their narrative.

No one will know who Chick-fil-A (Win-Shape) will donate to this year until the 2012 report comes out until next year in the fourth quarter.

So those who support Chick-fil-A please do not jump the gun and get upset. All is well and there is nothing to be upset with.

I can’t say how I know but I KNOW.

kara26 on September 19, 2012 at 10:40 PM

If this is the case Chick-Fil-A has the responsibility to use its PR to let people know that they did not cave. It is unjust to us for them to allow confusion to remain about the issue.

If this is the case Chick-Fil-A has the responsibility to use its PR to let people know that they did not cave. It is unjust to us for them to allow confusion to remain about the issue.

Bluray on September 19, 2012 at 11:10 PM

I just had that conversation tonight. All this just happened today. My hope is that there will be more than just this —-“The Chick-fil-A culture and 66-year service tradition in our locally owned and operated restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their beliefs, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We are a restaurant company focused on food, service and hospitality; our intent is not to engage in political or social debates.”— released soon.

I believe the biggest concern right now are some owners have had a VERY, VERY BIG Negative impact to their businesses. Right now I believe they are trying to help in places that need it badly without making it look like they have caved. There has been NO Caving. There is major heart felt concern of the impact to some owners and their employees.

PLEASE, what ever you do, trust this GREAT company and Know they are dealing with this the best way they can. This issue has never been about being able to open a store in Chicago.

Pray for the leaders. They are awesome, humble people truly concerned for owners and their staff.

Rose- he promised to take a look at it. Read it. I’m sure he will take a look. You aren’t getting what happened here. A politician blustered to the gay community, moreno. CFA gave him an out by saying “we’ll take a look at it.” They get the permit.

Read the post carefully, not just the comments that jump the shark. (I never do that!! lol)

Look, CFA is still a business and if they decided to cave, they’ve done the cost-benefit analysis and, last I checked, they’re into serving chicken not politics. Wish they wouldn’t cave and wish they’d stand ground, actually in the long run perhaps better for their business model, but it is not our job to second-guess their metrics. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time the major owners of a business cave, publicly, to PC concerns while they use their own considerable fortunes to fund he causes they believe in.

TXUS on September 19, 2012 at 9:56 PM

I’d buy that, except they had one of the biggest sales days ever when fascist-at-heart government types were trying to lean on them. It would be a real slap in the face to all those supporters to cave afterwards.

I’m still not convinced Moreno isn’t just lying through his teeth, though.

Letting this cretin bully them into withholding money from their favorite political causes as a condition of doing business sets a terrible precedent.

Oh, is bullying a problem?

Maybe groups that CFA donated to (Focus on the Family) shouldn’t advocate against anti-bullying legislation, then.

Focus on the Family is planning to counter the “Day of Silence,” an annual event to protest LGBT bullying set for April 20, with its own “Day of Dialogue”. The evangelical organization’s aim is to muffle an effort that “crosses the line in a lot of ways beyond bullying into indoctrination, just promoting homosexuality and transgenderism.”